Machine



(No Model.) 5 6 Sh'eetsSheet 1.

G. SPIRG. h

TYPE WRITING MACHINE. No. 322,495. r Patented July 21, 1-885 (N0 Model.)SfShets-Sheet 2.

U. SPIRO.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

No. 322,495. Patented July 21, 1885.

iii/enter:

W, I j

N PETERS. PImIv-Lxlhowphen Washington. D C.

(No Model.) 6Sheets-Sheet 3.

O. SPIRO.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

No. 322,495. Patented July'Z1, 18-85.

Wfine/s s es Inven'lor;

(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 4.

. 0. SPIRO.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE. No. 322,495. Patnted July 21, 1885-.

N PETILRS. Phulmljlhngmplmn Wnslvingtnn. n. c.

(No Model.) 6, Sheets-Sheet 5.

0. SPIRO.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

No. 322,495. Patented July 21, 1885..

(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 6,

0. SPIRO. TYAPE WRITING MACHINE.

Patented July 21,1885.

l lzz'enhw x UNITED STATES:

PATENT Orricn.

CHARLES srrn'o, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

SPECIEFEOATZfiN fanning part of Letters Patent No. 322,495, dated July21, 1885.

Application filed January 6, 1885.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it-known that 1, CHARLES SrIRo, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York, and State 7 of NewYork, have invented certain new and municated to the type-sleeve inorder to bring. a printing character thereon corresponding with that ofthe key operated. to a common print-ingpoint, so that with suit-ablemechanism for carrying the paper to be printed upon along, and by saidcommon printing-point,

printed matter may be produced by the ma-.

chine.

Among the objects of my invention are to reduce the number of parts, thesimplification of the individual parts and of the machine as anentirety, the compact arrangement of the several operative elements ofthe machine in order to reduce its size, the exposure of the lettersandwords printed at the time of and after the printing of the samewithout moving any portion of the machine, the capability of thesubstitution of different styles or forms of printing'characters, theprovision of vari" able spacing adapted to the requirements of any styleof printing -characters, and means whereby complete words may be printedby the single operation of a single key, the operation of the paper-feeding devices by the gravity of the paper carriage, and the provisionof such a construction as will permit the substitution of carriages ofdiffering lengths, and the cooperation of the same with the rest of themachine, whereby it is adapted for use in printing matter desired to beexpanded to any length 'of line.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear in thefollowing description,

and the novel features thereof will be specitic (No model.)

' spective of a typewriting machine constructed in accordance with myinvention. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same with the keys removed. Fig. 3 isa similarview with the keys, their levers and guiding and supportingmechanism removed. Fig. 4isa bottomview in plan of the machine. Fig. 5isa front elevation and Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the machine. Fig. '7is a skeleton perspective of the operating-l ver and certain devicesco-operating therewith. Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the feedingmechanism, portions being shown in section. Figs. 9, 10, 11. 12, and 13are details, hereinafter described.

' Like letters indicate like parts in all the figures.

All of the operative parts of my machine are connected with or arrangedupon or beneath a single base-plate or bed, A, which is supported by anysuitable standards, as A. For the purpose of describing the constructionof the machine herein illustrated as one embodiment of my invention, Idesignate as the front of the machine the side opposite that at whichthe carriage is placed, the front being the side toward the operator,the general height of the machine being such thatan unobstructed sightof thework produced upon thepaper while upon the carriage can be had atthe time of and subsequently to the printing of the same.

Upon the base A, and near the corners thereof, are four posts orstandards, A", which serve to support rods A*, on which the keylevers Bare pivotally mounted. Between the posts A, and parallel with the rodsmounted in them, are arranged two partitions, A which are slottedthrough and through, as at A, to permit of the passage therethrough of aportion of a key-lever nearest its pivoted end and grooved, as at A toreceive the free end of the key-lever, which is pivoted on the bar atthe opposite end of the machine from said groove. One-half of the leversare pivoted at one side of the machine, and the other half at theopposite side thereof, the levers crossing each other at about thecenter of the machine, their free ends riding in the grooves A in theinnersurfaces of one of the partitions A".

suitable manner to the partitions, and project so as to bear against theunder side or edge of Springs A are secured in "any'fl r5 either side ofthe machine, and extending each of the key-levers for the purpose ofreturning the same to a normal position after having been depressed.

At a suitable point along the upper edge of the projection is providedwith an adjustingscrew, B, for a purpose hereinafter described.Pivotally connected to the standards A at completely along and beneaththe entire series ofkeys pivoted at each end of the machine, are thebails B, which, by a spring hereinafter described, are normallymaintained in an elevated positionthat is, hearing against the underedges of the key-levers B, so that as each key of each half of theseries of levers is depressed one of said levers depresses the bail atthat side of the machine at which one-half of the levers are pivoted.

From each of the bails B there passes through the bed-plate A a rod, B,the lower end of which abuts against the upper surface of the rock-armsB projecting from a rockshaft, B, supported in brackets B, formed on orsecured to the under surface of the bedplate. Projecting to the rear,and rigidly mounted on the rock-shaft B", is another rockarm, B, theextreme rear end of which is resilient or yielding. In this instancethis characteristic of that portion of the rock-arm B issecured in theprovision of a curved flat spring, B, attached by screws B (or it may bein any other manner which will suggest itself to any skilled mechanic)to the rigid portion 13 of the rock-arm. By reference to Fig. 4. it willbe seen that in this instance brackets A are secured to the bed-plateand project therefrom in a plane substantially parallel,

with and lower than its main portion, and at the rear ends of thesebrackets are standards A By reference to Figs. 2, 3, and 6 it will beseen that the paper-roll and the carriage for the same are mounted inways formed in a carriagesupporting part, A, which I shall forconvenience designate as the platen-frame. At each end of the platen A,arms A are extended and pivoted in the standards A so that theplaten-frame, the carriage, and the paper-roll thereof are adapted for arising and falling motion.

From the center of the platen-frame, and projecting toward the front ofthe machine, is a lug, A, which is provided with an adjusting-screw, A,and set-nut A. Immediately over the lug A is a pivoted cheek-lever,pawl, or stop, A, provided with a similar adjusting-screw and nut, A.The stop A is mounted in a depending bracket or lug, A,

formed on or secured to the under surface of the bed-plate.

As thus far described it will be seen that when any one of the keys isdepressed its lever is brought into contact with the upper surface ofone or the other of the bails B, so that the movement of the key-leveris by said bail coinmunicated by means of the rods B to the rockarms Band B of the rock-shaft B depressing the arms B and elevating the freeend of the arm B, the rigid portion of said arm acting directly towithdraw the stop A from contact with the upper surface of the lug A,which contact acts to retain the platen-frame A in a depressed position,resting upon the screw A, mounted in the bracket A while by reason ofthe curved surface A of said stop suitable movement of the rigid portionof the arm B is permitted before the stop is re leased from the lug.During this limited movement of the rigid portion of the arm B power isbeing stored in the spring B, or, in other words, thetension of saidspring against the adjusting-screw 1 is being constantly increased, sothat at the instant that the stop A is removed from contact with the lugA the power thus stored, or the tension of the spring thus increased,serves to suddenly lift the platen-frame with the carriage and paperrollthereon, and to force the paper-roll and the paper thereon quickly andfirmly against the characters on that face of the type-sleeve which ispresented toward the paper,.the recoil of the blow and the weight of thepaperroll, the carriage, and the platen-frame all serving to bring itback to its normal position, the adjusting-screw A being set at such apoint that the stop A shall by gravity resume its normal position abovethe lug A.

By the construction and operation thus far described each depression ofeach of the keys is utilized to give a necessary motion to a proper partof the machine to secure the in1- pression of a printing character uponthe paper. It now remains to describe the devices and constructionemployed in this my invention for selecting the character to beprinted,aud for feeding the carriage to present the proper surface ofthe paper to receive the character when printed.

The first principal element necessary to accomplish the purposes juststated is the typesleeve D, the construction, character, manner ofmounting, and the devices employed for the operation of which will nowbe described.

The typesleeve is a square, or it may be a IIO polygonal tube, the innerbore of which may be either square, round, or polygonal, and is mountedupon a rotatable rod, D, adapted to the bore of the tube. In case acylindrical rod, D, is employed a spline or fin, D is used to preventthe rotation of the sleeve upon the rod, and in case the rod D issquare, polygonal, or triangular portions of its faces may be removed,as shown at D, to reduce the friction of the sleeve upon the rod and theextent of the surface which requires finishing to fit the bore of thesleeve. Thetype-strips D" may be soldered directly to the outer faces ofthe sleeve or may be otherwise secured there to; but for the purpose ofmaking provision for the use of different styles of type I prefer toform in the outer surfaces of the sleeve longitudinal dovetail grooves Dand to correspondingly shape the edges of the type-strips D*, as shownat D. One or more faces of the sleeve, or one or more removabletype-strips, may be provided with complete words, as shown in Fig. 3, ortwo styles of type may be formed on a single strip, if desired; but Iprefer to arrange in transverse lines upon the strip or the sleeve aprinting character or characters and projections or depressions I) todetermine the spacing required by said characters, as hereinafterdescribed. The rod or shaft D is in this instance mounted in bracketsD", extending rearwardly from the baseplate A, and in a bracket, D",arranged upon said plate. The rear end of the rod and a portion near itsfront end is adapted to be rorated in the brackets D D", while at itsextreme front end it is provided with a thumbnut, D and a notched disk,D,into which the spring actuated detent D takes, the notches being soarranged on the disk with relation to the faces of the sleeve as topresent one or the other of said faces toward the'carriage when thedetent is in a notch. The pre sentation of desired faces of thetype-sleeve for use is in this instance accomplished enbase A andconnected by links E to a collar, E", formed in two parts, which areadapted to embrace a circular bearing, D formed in the sleeve D, thepivots E" of the links serving also to bind the two parts of the collarwithin the bearing D. From the frontend of the 1ype-sleeve,and securedto and formed as apart of, or it may be secured to the upper half of thecollar E is projected a bracket, the endofwhich is turned vertically toform a stop, D.

The means for operating the levers .E'are clearlyshown in Fig. 1. Uponthe rod A mounted in the standards A, which serves as the pivotalbearing for the key-levers B, is a bail, F, having a depending arm, F,which is adapted to be brought into contact with the shorter arms of thelevers E. From the bail F there depends a spring-plate, F against whichthe adj Listing-screws B" of the k ey lcvers B abut when a key isdepressed, so that motion is conveyed to the arm or rod F, and by it andits companion on the opposite side of the machine to the levers E, linksE", collar E, and sleeve D, so as to project the sleeve along the rod Dfrom front to rear. To determinethe extent of the reciprocation of thesleeve and movement of the lever E, each of the adjustingscrews 13* isso set as togive the required movement to the spring-plate F", bail F,and arm F.

Now,the arrangement of the charactersupon,

each face of the printing-sleeve is such that those most frequently usedwill be nearest to the printing-point when the sleeve is in its normalposition, and the relative arrangement of the key-levers one withanother is such that each shall, when depressed, form an obstacle to thefurther advaeement of the sleeve when it is reached by the key-lever inits downward 'movement. The function of the spring-plate F now becomesapparent, in that, by means of the adjusting-screws B, the pressureexerted upon the plate by the shorter arms of the keylevers isregulated, so that the movement of said arms of the levers occurringinbringing the lever into contact with the stop D, shall bejustsufficiently absorbed by the spring-plate to regulate the extent of themovement of the arm F against the lever E, so that the sleeve shall bereciprocated in proportion to the location of the type thereon. In otherwords, by means of a yielding connnecting element, and suitableadjusting devices be tween the pivots of the key-levers and those of thesleeve reciprocating levers, I am enabled to distribute the forceexerted in depressing any single key of the entire series and its leverto the sleeve, so that the sleeve shall receive just a sufficientquantity of that force to carry it only to the lever which is depressed.i V

The single stop D upon the sleeve is sufficient for ordinary purposes;but in more rapid writing I prefer to employ two stops, as illus-Itrated in Fig. 9, the rear'one, D"*, being lower than the front one, andthe rearlower corner,

3*, of the lever B being beveled orremoved,

A coiled spring, E is connected with each of the levers E, forthe'purpose of returning the sleeve to its normal position after havingbeen once operated by the levers.

It now remains to describe the construction and operation of thecarriage-feeding devices, and in this portion, of the machine other ofthe important novel features of my invention are embodied. As heretoforedescribed, the carriage G is mounted forlongitudinal movement in or onthe platen A, which is supported pivotally, so as to rise and fallduring the operation of printing. The carriage is provided with theusual bearings for the paper-roll G, a thumb-nut, G", and a ratchet, Gbeing pro.

vided,as usual, for the rotation of the paper-roll for line to linemovement. Paper-retaining de.

IIO

vices G, of usual construction, are also provided. A rack-bar, G, isformed along the front side of the framework of the carriage, whichframework or base is dovetailed into the platen, as clearly shown. Inthis instance the carriage, as described, is completely separable fromthe platen, so that without disconnecting any of the devices from themachine a carriage may be removed therefrom, and another carriage,adapted to fit the platen and of any desired length, may be insertedtherein for use in connection with the printing devices. By reason ofthis construction and adaptation to put in and take out carriages ofdiffering lengths, one machine may be employed for printing matter ofusual or unusual length of line. A job partially done may be removed,and another carriage with a new job inserted without displacing theprinting-point of the job removed, and so that work may be readilyresumed thereon, as occasion may require.

At the front side of the platen is a standard, H, to which is pivoted abell-crank lever, H, the pivot being at H near the top of the standardH. That arm of the lever H which depends over the rack-bar (l isprojected at each side, and provided at the front in the line of feed,during the process of printing, with a pivoted spring pressed feed-pawl,H the spring I of which is rigidly secured to the depending portion ofthe lever H. The rear projection of the lever H is provided with adetent, H. The pawl H is extended in rear 'of its pivot, as at H whichextension is rounded on its upper surface. The free upper end of thelever H comes in contact with a relatively-fixed projection (in thisinstance a portion, J, of the spacing-lever J) when said le ver is inits normal position.

As hereinbefore more particularly set forth, the platen will be raisedafter the pivoted stop A has been removed from the upper surface of thelug A (formed on or secured to the platen) by means of the increasedtension ,prodnced in the spring B. In the act of rising the platenelevates the standard H secured to it, and this in turn elevates thepivot H of the lever H, and if means are provided to retain the free endof said lever in contact with a relativelyfixed point, as J, the detentH will be raised from the rack G and the pawl H will be carried backwardover the teeth of said rack, and over such anumber of the teeth as maybe desired, by controlling the pawl against the resistance or pressureof the spring I for a greater or less length of time during its backwardmovement. Now, the means provided for retaining the free end of the lever H in contact with the fixed point J may be an increased weight ofthat portion of the lever to counterbalance the other portions of thelever and its adjuncts at the other side of its pivot, or a coiledspring, as H, may be employed to keep the free end of the lever incontact with the point J of the spacing-lever J. The spring J 2maintains the spacing-lever J in an elevated or normal position, and thestandard J" carries a key, J", for said lever, which key may be arrangedin any suitable convenient proximity to the system of keys employed inthe machine.

To determine the number of teeth over which the feed-pawl shall pass inits backward movement when the platen is raised,and therefore todetermine the distance that the carriage with the paper thereon shall beconveyed after each impression, and to do this automatieally,l provide astandard,K, mounted upon the bed of the machine, therefore in dependentof the platen and carriage, and pivot thereon a bell-crank lever, K, thepivot being shown at K One arm of this lever is provided with a pin orprojection passing beneath the lever H, as at K which pin is connectedwith said lever by means of a spring, K, so that the tendency of saidarm and pin shall be to remain in contact with the lever H. The otherarm of said lever K is provided with an adjustingscrew,K ,whichisadapted to bear upon the spacing projections or depressions D of thetype-sleeve, so that as these projections or depressions vary in heightor depth the lever K shall be oscillated on its pivot, so that the pinor projection K shall be removed from the lever H and the portionbearing the adj ustingscrew K shall be oscillated more or less to therearward in the line of feed. In order to utilize this variation in theoscillation of the lever K, (which variation it will be seenwill be inaccordance with the spacing required to print any given character on thesleeve,) I secure to the lever a wire, K, (or, the lever itself may beso extended,) so shaped as to pass downwardly and around the standard Hand lever H to and above the rearward projection, H of the feedpawl, asshown at K".

Now, it is apparent that at the time of the raising of the platen andthe return of the lever H in the manner described, and of a simultaneousreturn of the lever K,as described, that the wire K will act to retainthe pawl for a longer or a shorter time from returning to the rack Gwhen a key and all of the connecting devices between it and the springB, which holds the platen up, are released, and the consequent fallingof the platen occurs. In this manner the spacing depressions orprojections upon the type-sleeve determine the amount of feed requiredfor the character or the word upon the sleeve adjacent to saidprojection or depression which is printed by the sleeve. The forceexerted on a key accomplishes the following results in substantially thefollowing order: A key-lever is depressed, the sleeve reciprocated toexpose a certain character or word and its spacing projection ordepression at the printing-point, thespacing-lever K is set for therequired feed, and the platen is raised to give the impression.

The inking device employed in this instance comprises any ink absorbingor retaining roller, L, mounted upon the shaft L and removably retainedthereon'by means of the nut L", said shaft being supported in a yieldinghearing. or spring, L, secured to the under side of the bed A, so thatas the sleeve is reprinting-point, with the roller L.

It is apparent that many of the minor details of my invention mayreadilybe changed bypersons skilled in the art of manufacturing type-writers,and I therefore do not limit my invention to the exact details ofconstruc tion herein shown anddescribed, but reserve my right to alterthe same in any manner and to any extent within the skill of the classof persons mentioned.

By means of. the key J" and the spacinglever J, upon which it ismounted, independent spacing or feeding of the carriage may beaccomplished, as desired, the point J of the spacing-lever being loweredin order that the.

spring H of the feed-pawl lever may lower the free end of said lever andcarry the pawl backward on the rack The spring-plate F permits thecompletion of the downstroke of the keylevers after they have come incontact with the stop D, which limits the forward reciprocation of thetype-sleeve D. Thekey-lever during thelatter part of its downwardmotion, acting upon the bails l3 and rods B, serves to operate the rigidand yielding portions of the rock-arm,which liberates and elevates theplaten to take an impression. WVithout the yielding element between theends of the key-levers and the sleevereciprocating levers, the contactof the stop of the type sleeve with the key-lever would be so positiveand forcible as to occasion a rebound in the type-sleeve, which wouldresult in blurred impressions, as well as subjecting the machine tosevere wear in operation.

Having described my invention and its operation, what I claim as newis 1. In a type-writingmachine, the combination,witl'1 a reciprocatingtype-sleeve having a stop of a system of key-levers arranged across thepath of the same, and connections, substantially as described, foroperating the sleeve.

2. In a typewriting machine, the combination,with a reciprocatingtype-sleeve having a stop and with type-sleeve reciprocating levers, ofa system of key-levers arranged across the path of the sleeve, each ofwhich levers is provided with a key bearing an indication of the type orcharacter which is brought to the printing-point when said lever isdepressed, and a connecting device which is partly rigid and partlyresilient, substantially as specified.

3. In a type-writing machine, the combination,with a reciprocatingtype-sleeve having a stop, of a system of key-levers, a portion of whichare pivoted at each side of the sleeve and connected with duplicatetype-sleeve operating-levers, substantially as specified.

4. In a type-writing machine, the combination, with a type-sleeve havinga stop, of a series of key-levers arranged across the path ofthe sleeve,a bail arranged beneath the levers and connected with a rock-shaft, anarm of which is partly rigid and partly resilient, a pivoted platenconnected with the yielding portion of said arm, a pivoted locking-pawlconnected with the rigid portion of said arm, and a carriage mountedupon the platen, substantially as specified.

5. In a type-writing machine, the means shown and described for takingan impression from the printing-characters thereof, said meansconsisting of a pivoted or movable platen-frame, a carriage orpaper-carrier, a lever operated by means of printing-characterselecting-keys, and having a rigid and a resilient portion, the formerconnected with a stop for temporarily retaining the platen from risingto take the impression, substantially as specified. i

6. In a type-writing machine, the combination, with platen-frame andpaper-carrier, of

alever having rigid and resilient portions,- a movable stop, anddevices, substantially as described, for operating the lever,substantially as specified.

7. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a reciprocatingtype-sleeve and typesleeve operating-levers with a system of keylevershaving adj usting-serews, a bail having a spring-plate, and atype-sleeve lever-operating rod, substantially as specified.

8. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a pivoted platen-framehaving a feed pawl carrying standard, a paper-carrier provided with arack, a feed-pawl lever having a bearing at itsfree end upon afixedportion of the machine, and devices, substantially as described, forraising the platenframe, substantially as specified, whereby theplaten-frame in the act of falling operates the feed-pawl.

9. In a type-writing machine, a carriage and feed-rack, a rising andfalling platen- IIO' frame provided with a feed-pawl and standard, A

a feed-pawl lever pivoted to the standard and.

projecting over a fixed part of the machine, in combination withadjustable devices, substantially as specified, for regulating thespacing.

10. In a type-writing machine, the combination, with a reciprocatingtype-sleeve having a front and rear stop, thelatter being lower than theformer, of a key-lever arranged across the path of the sleeve andconstructed to enter and fill the space between the stops thereon,

and connections for operating the sleeve, substantially as specified.

11. A type-sleeve for a type-writing machine provided withprinting-characters and spacing-proj ections,substantiall y asspecified.

12. A type-strip for a type-writing machine provided withprinting-characters and spacing-projections arranged in transverse linesupon the same, substantially as specified.

13. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a reciprocatingtype-sleeve, its opcrating-levers, a rising and falling platen-frame anda paper-carrier thereon, feeding devices mounted upon the platen-frame,and devices substantially as described, for varying the extent of thefeed, mounted independently ofthe platen-frame, substantially asspecified.

14. In a type-writing machine, a rising and falling platen-frame, apaper-carrier mounted thereon and provided with a rack, feed devicesinountedon the platen-frame, and an independent lever mounted on thefixed part of the machine for independent operation of the feed devices,substantially as specified.

15. In a type-writing machine, the con1bination, with a carriage, arising and falling platenframe having arack, and the i'eedpawl, of avariable spacing-lever and devices, substantially as described, forregulating the action of the lever upon the pawl, substantially asspecified. W

16. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a feed-pawl'pivotallymounted on a CHARLES SPIRO.

' WVitnesses:

WM. S. DUVALL, E. B. STOCKING.

